Do you have your eye on a new Subaru Forester? It’s a great option and a favorite SUV among car-buying consumers. But before you take the leap, you’ll want to look at and explore some of the latest industry reviews and performance evaluations. According to MotorTrend, there’s plenty to like about the best parts of the new Subaru Forester. But there were also three particular qualities that the team cited as the worst qualities. Here’s a closer look at those best and worst amenities.

Meet the refreshed Subaru Forester

Choosing the best Subaru Forester for you means first looking at all its features, trims, amenities, and personal advantages. As Edmunds describes, you can outfit your 2022 model with the base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trim levels. Every variation comes with AWD and Subaru’s EyeSight roster of driver assistance features. And under the hood is a competent, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and 182 hp.

The Forester saw a refresh in 2022, offering a more modern exterior design and some boosts in its off-road prowess, including the Wilderness trim. It’s plenty powerful, with a 0 to 60 run in 8.3 seconds. And it’s easy on the wallet regarding fuel economy, earning 27 and 32 mpg ratings.

The best qualities of the Subaru Forester

When MotorTrend evaluates the latest model vehicles, the team puts each vehicle through a battery of testing and driving dynamics. When the MT team spent quality time with the Subaru Forester (and the Wilderness trim), three characteristics stood out immediately as their favorite.

1. Excellent safety ratings

For many people who buy Subaru models, safety matters most. The Forester earns a five-star NHTSA rating and is also a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ with IIHS.

2. Impeccable all-around visibility

The Subaru Forester may have a quasi-boxy style, but that’s what MotorTrend says contributes to the all-around “excellent outward visibility.”

3. The Wilderness model is more than trail-ready

With the Wilderness trim, you’ll get an increase in ground clearance from 8.7 inches to 9.2 inches. And everything about its off-pavement gets a boost, including more low-end torque, approach, departure, and break-over angles. The Wilderness adds to the best qualities of the Subaru Forester.

The worst parts of the Subaru Forester

Despite all the pluses the Subaru Forester earns with MotorTrend, there are still a few potential setbacks worth noting. These are the three cons with this SUV once the team finished its evaluation.

1. Not-so-attractive design

It’s boxy. And while other SUVs and refreshed crossovers look more modern and sleeker, the Forester still looks like it was hovering in 2019. It’s not terrible, just less attractive than others in this segment.

2. Fuel economy on the Wilderness trim

The Wilderness trim is attractive for anyone who does venture off-road or is more adventurous with their SUVs. However, the MT team points out that it’s a bit disappointing that you’ll lose fuel economy with this decision. The Wilderness version is rated at 25 and 28 mpg.

3. Tiny touchscreen on the base trim

If you choose the base trim for the 2022 Subaru Forester, you’ll get the smaller 6.5-inch touchscreen. It may not be a deal-breaker, but you’ll need to bump trims to get the bigger screen.

As one of the brand’s crossover SUVs, the 2022 Subaru Forester has an MSRP range of $25,895 to $35,995. Keep these pros and cons in mind if you are going to explore your options.